When Black Elk's people meet up with Crazy Horse, they camp some distance away and build a corral to guard their ponies from the Crow Indians. But, still, a Crow is caught attempting to steal a horse in the dead of the night, and then killed. The "counting coup" ritual is explained. The women cut up the dead Crow Indian with axes and scatter his parts around, and they all join in the "kill dance." They move camp. The guard paints his face black to indicate that he was ready to kill the enemy. They meet one of Red Cloud's people who says that the Crow Indians killed all in his band except him.
During that winter, white runners come and tell Black Elk's people that they must come back to Fort Robinson or there will be serious trouble, but they do not return because it is too cold to move and they are on their own land anyway. During a thaw in February, Black Elk's people start for Fort Robinson. Crazy Horse stays behind on the Powder. In March, the U.S. Cavalry raids Crazy Horse's village, killing men, women, and children, and stealing horses. Crazy Horse mobilizes a band of warriors and fights back, eventually regaining the horses. Black Elk states that he and his people did not learn of this for some time, but when they did hear it, they painted their faces black.
